


In the Garden

by ami_ven



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Community: writerverse, Gen, Post-Star Trek: Into Darkness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-11
Updated: 2014-05-11
Packaged: 2018-01-24 07:56:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1597397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ami_ven/pseuds/ami_ven
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Spock goes to New Vulcan to have a conversation with himself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In the Garden

**Author's Note:**

> written for LJ community "writerverse" prompts "logic" & "soul searching"

“Earth roses are not native to this climate,” said Spock, stepping out into the garden and the warm New Vulcan night. “It will be difficult to maintain their viability here.”

“They were not native to Vulcan, either,” said the older version of himself. “And yet that did not stop Mother from growing them.”

“True,” Spock agreed.

Amanda had taken great pride in her garden, which had contained plant species from Earth and Vulcan, as well as from elsewhere in the Federation. But the roses had been her favorite.

“Something is troubling you,” said Old Spock, after a moment.

Spock nodded, because he had come to New Vulcan for the specific purpose of speaking with his older self, and lying to him— to himself— would be counterproductive.

“Several things,” he said.

Old Spock gestured him toward a stone bench with a view of the rose bushes. “I am listening.”

The younger man paused, then said, “What was the outcome of your dealing with Khan?”

“The outcome? We have discussed the ramifications of such information before, you and I.”

“You did not wish to alter the timeline more than it already had been by divulging events still in our future,” said Spock. “Which I still believe to be a wise precaution. But this incident has already occurred. Surely, there would be no harm in discussing how our experiences differed.”

“A logical argument,” said Old Spock. “Very well. As I understand it, the circumstances surrounding our meetings with Khan were very different. My _Enterprise_ was the first to encounter his sleeper ship, and to introduce him to our time. Your first encounter was with a Khan already set on revenge.”

He paused, considering. “What was the outcome of our encounters with Khan? I died.”

“And yet, you are not dead.”

“No,” Old Spock agreed. “I had sufficient time to entrust my _katra_ to Dr. McCoy before my death, bringing the _Enterprise’s_ reactor core back online and allowing the ship to escape. Jim Kirk sacrificed the _Enterprise_ and risked his career to reunite my _katra_ with my body.”

Spock arched a quizzical eyebrow. “A _fal-tor-pan_? Father says that ritual is only a legend.”

The _katra_ was something akin to the human concept of a ‘soul’, but much more substantial. Before the destruction of Vulcan, the _katras_ of Vulcan masters were often kept, to preserve their knowledge and wisdom. But no re-fusion had even been attempted since before the time of Surak.

Old Spock mirrored his expression. “You did not undergo the _fal-tor-pan_ ”

Spock shook his head. “No. I was on the bridge when the reactor destabilized. It was Jim—”

His older self froze— Spock could only see the pain in the other man’s expression because he was looking at himself, though he doubted anyone else would have seen through his Vulcan calm— and asked, barely a whisper, “Jim is dead?”

“ _No_ ,” said Spock, with such vehemence that it surprised them both. More calmly, he continued, “No. Dr. McCoy discovered a remarkable healing property in Khan’s blood, and we were able to revive the captain.”

“Fascinating,” said Old Spock. “Such a vast difference in specific circumstances, and yet our most defining experiences still occur, however altered. Were I fully human, such events might compel me to believe in the hand of fate.”

Spock’s arched eyebrow turned slightly amused. “We are not fully human.”

“No,” Old Spock agreed, and they settled into comfortable silence to watch the roses.

THE END


End file.
